Rail Trip Through Central Alaska

Exploring Alaska by train makes for some truly special experiences. On this day trip, the Denali Star Train takes you from the small former gold-mining village of Talkeetna (you can also board as early as Anchorage) through breathtaking scenery along the Susitna River all the way to Denali National Park and its namesake mountain, the highest in North America.

The Denali Star Train runs between Anchorage and Fairbanks once a day in each direction, north and south, during the summer months, and only on weekends in winter. The section that awaits you on this trip takes a relaxed 4.5 hours, during which you can focus entirely on Alaska's scenery and wildlife. Bright red fireweed adds a striking contrast to the long stretches of birch and spruce forest, and with a little luck you'll spot some of the many beavers and maybe even a waterbird, moose, wolf, black bear or brown bear before they disappear into the thicket at the sound of the train.

For extra comfort, travel in a double-decker car, one of the so-called "Deluxe Dome Railcars": upstairs, the glass dome and an open-air viewing platform offer panoramic views at their finest, and downstairs you'll be treated to food and drinks – traveling through pristine Alaska with today's luxury. Of course, you can also enjoy the ride in a standard car, which is considerably cheaper and brings you just as close to the Alaska experience.

The train steadily winds its way up along the bends of the Susitna River to the foot of North America's highest peak, Denali, which you'll see again and again on the horizon when the sky is clear – and otherwise only sense, which can be just as exciting. On maps, the mountain, 6,168 meters (20,237 ft) high according to the latest measurements, is (still) better known as Mount McKinley. It was first climbed in 1913 and is still considered one of the most climatically extreme mountains in the world. As one of the Seven Summits, it is a goal for many alpine climbers – but only a few of the many mountaineers from around the world make it, because fierce winds and temperatures as low as -40 to -70 degrees Celsius force many of them to turn back.

Once you arrive in Denali National Park, the largest protected ecosystem in the world, 24,000 square kilometers (9,300 sq mi) are home to 750 plant species, 39 mammal species and 165 bird species. From the station, you can take the shuttle buses deep into the park and simply ask for a quick stop wherever you spot a grizzly bear, moose, caribou, wolf, marmot or a special bird species. The bus tours last between six and twelve hours – adventure guaranteed! Along the way you can also get dropped off, hike on your own for a few hours and hop back on one of the next buses.

If you have more time, we especially recommend a multi-day hike with a tent, which you can pitch at the most beautiful and unspoiled spots in the national park. For this, however, you'll need an introduction to proper behavior in the wilderness with its wild animals and sometimes unpredictable rivers, as well as a permit, because only a few backpackers with tents are allowed in each part of the national park at the same time. So you probably won't see a single other hiker for days and can camp anywhere – just follow certain rules so you don't disturb or attract the bears in their territory.

If you're planning such a hike between June and September, sign up early – the few campgrounds in and around the national park also have very few sites (only one campground in the national park is accessible to RVs), and demand is very high during this time.

murkl.com is happy to take care of other accommodation options near the national park and further activities, including the gear and equipment you'll need!

Whether you take the Denali Star Train back to Talkeetna after your fulfilling days, continue on to Anchorage or head the other way to Fairbanks is entirely up to you. Maybe you'll combine this trip and your time in Denali National Park with a road trip by RV, with a pickup and tent, or with one of murkl.com's many other offers.

Get inspired and enjoy your days in and around Alaska's most magnificent and best-known national park!